Daily Republican., 1887-08-22
THE STORY OF A GAMBLER.

ANN bTOhY OF a GAMBLER.
A letter 70 the Philadelphia Times Of
Q recent date says the change In the
Temperature has not eliminated Che
crowds who still linger here. Every
evening the New York boat bripss
Dack again the Same faces, the strayed
Jewellers OF Wall street, who nnd in The
music, the races, the hops, the roulette
Wheel and In the green bAize tables OF
Phil and John DAILY . rekindline Of the
hres which have run low during the
dog days along the Barbary coast of
Wall street. Thousands take in the
feverish excitements of Long Branch a
quasi.rest-a training school for the
next Day, whom they show up In GOOD
form ut 10 q. m. In New York, ready
for the great gsme In Wall street, where
people sell short or besiege Russell
Ssse's offices for puts and calls.
A vOTARY OF THE BLIND GODDESS.
On the south side Of the West End
piazza the other night sat John Pondir.
sui New York broker, with Q com.
Portable balance In bank. He has tried
Oil the games from poker and seven-up
oown to keno spd, last OF all, cribbsge,
and 10 not muoh the worse for wear for
hts participation In some OF the great
eat games of chance ever played on the
American continent.
The clover blossoms In Pondir's but.
tonhole, looked dropping and faint with
the heat OF the day, and the etill alert
and alive New York broker tossed aside
cigar to the bitter end and seemed In
reminiscent mood.
asked: "Do you remember Ed. Hill
son, q wool broker Of Chestnut street =?
We both met thirty years ago at joe
delphia"
"Indeed do" replied Pondir, "and
thereby hangs . tale. No man ever
lived who was fonder OF all games OF
chance than poor HillsOn, the wool
broker. He lived in Philadelphia for
forty years and was, think. from Al.
SAGE or Lorraine, for he was certainly
half Frenchman.
A GAMBLER WITHOUT NERVE.
"Hillson never had the Napoleonic
courage or nerve needed 10 make q
great gambler, but with him 1t was he
fatal passion for cards.
"Men like Thomas A. Scott, all T erve,
With will like Bessemer steel, make
gamblers (when they do play) OF whom
the professional gsmester is always In
terror. And have heard 1t told By q
prominent Philaaelphian that alb out the
time the Girard House was built there
was big game Of faro going on there
and Mr.. SCOTT saun tered in saying he
didn't mind winning or losing $40 900.
He lost that amount 10 three hours and
walked out On unconcerned as IL he had
lost pAss to San Frapcisoo.
with suoh men gambling Is m &C.
cident. 1t never becomes the one ab-
sor rbing passion OF life. Woe to the man
who becomes this passions's slave.
With Htllson 1t was the one grand pas.
sion, and faro was his favorits play,
game always full OF fascination to men
OF high intellectual endowments. Hill.
son seemed to begrudge the hours spent
In the ordinary avocatioDs of business,
albeit he WAS recognized as the best
wool buyer on the street.
"He had splomb; was possessed of
keen intellect and wonderful fund Of
information, but he could never resist
the sight Of pack of cards.
"Hillson had no domestic ties OF
which any body knew. He paid his
bills promptly, and his accounts we're
always closed correctly with the houses
for whom he worked on comm ission.
"He was satisfied with small win.
nings. but II Is the continued dropping
which wears away the granite shaft.
LUCK AT MONTE CARLO,
"In 1870 he found himself %. 900 be-
hind. Hillson disappeared from Phila-
delphia for one year. Nobody made
any search for him, as there seemed to
be . general impression that the little
Alsatian. Frenchman "would come out
oatbird' Gas they say ont West). And
he did. In almost q year to DAY from
his disappearance Hillson appeared, full
iof ohio, bright, breezy, we'll dressed
and with heavy bank balance to his
credit. He paid oil his outstanding
bills and no questions we're asked. His
story to his intimates was that he had
bu. $500 when he reached Paris and he
could not resist the temptation to take
. ran over to Monte Carlo. He FIRST
purchased return ticket to America,
avowing that he was not afraid to face
his creditors, but only waited for his
luck to tnrn. Hillson said he had $500
cash left. He put some 1G0 francs on
the red. 1t won. He put the winnin Rs
100 francs, between the o and the 90,
which pays II for l. He won. He
picked out the number 13 because 1t
was called an uulucky number and put
30 francs on that number. He won. He
was now high roller In luck and In
ono hour was possessor OF 80, 600 francs.
he returned in the next steamer to
America and liquidated all outstading
accounts.
THE GAMBLERS TRAGIC END.
tin 1884 Hillson's luck turned. His
commissions as wool buyer did not
furnish forth the wheI with TO crafty
his elegant desires. He had sailed with
more swelling port than his faint
m 'ans did grant continuance.
"He had friends" continued John
Pondir, "who would have loaned him
81, 900. He was too proud to tell why
he WAS poor. HILTON became tired of
the struggle and one June day he left
Philadelphia for Niagara Falls. No
body knew where he had gone. As soon
as the train reached Niagara he gave .
hackman % and simply said:
"sDrive to the Falls
"Once there he laid off his coat md
ended 1t all by one wild leap into the
angry, death desling current OF the
river. His body was never found. The
mortified hackman found bill OF sale
for his furniture, covering the rent then
due his landlord on Chestnut street, and
q note asking the same person To give
colored boy he had around his office his
last S5 onclosai The last naca of hia